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Media Release
Approval of radioactive waste facility site nomination
27 September 2007
The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, has accepted the Northern Land Council’s nomination of land as a potential site for the Commonwealth radioactive waste management facility.
The nominated site is on Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory, 120 kilometres north of Tennant Creek.
The Northern Land Council made the nomination following its endorsement by the full council meeting held at Gulkula on 25 May 2007.
“After consideration of the evidence presented to me by the Northern Land Council I am satisfied that the Council’s decision to nominate the land accords with the wishes of the traditional Aboriginal owners of that land,” Minister Bishop said.
“I am also satisfied that other Aboriginal groups potentially affected by the nomination have had adequate opportunity to express their views to the Northern Land Council.”
Detailed assessment of the nominated site’s physical and biological environment will now be conducted.
Such assessments have already been carried out on the three other potential sites on Defence land at Harts Range, Mt Everard and Fishers Ridge in the Northern Territory.
The Australian Government will make a decision on a preferred site for the facility at the conclusion of the site assessment study at Muckaty Station.
The preferred site will then undergo assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Licences to site, construct and operate the Facility will also need to be sought from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).
Media Contacts:
Minister Bishop’s Office: Murray Hansen 0417 886 155
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Media Unit 02 6240 7300
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